KUALA LUMPUR: A policeman on anti-crime rounds who told a group of men believed to be Mat Rempit to disperse was beaten up instead.

In the 5.30am incident yesterday, L/Kpl S. Paramasivam, 49, from the Cheras district police headquarters, came upon the group by the roadside at Magam Salak Park and told them to disperse.

City police chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the group of 10 men beat up the policeman using helmets and metal rods.

The cuts to the policeman's head required five stitches.

"All 10 suspects involved in the incident have been identified and we will be moving in on them very soon," he added.

In an unrelated incident, police fired two shots at a car that tried to evade a roadblock in Jalan Ipoh.

In the 4am incident, the driver of the car reversed and made an illegal U-turn upon nearing the roadblock, which was manned by police from the Sentul Police Headquarters.

City police CID chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Ku Chin Wah said the driver stopped the car after police fired the two shots.

Police detained two men who were in the car and seized two parang from the boot.

"We are trying to ascertain why the two had the parang in the car," he said.

SAC II Ku also said that the vehicle was not a stolen car and that neither of the two men had any criminal records.

They are being detained to assist in police investigations into crime in the area. -The Star/Asia News Network